It's a Cinch again...

Here’s a quick tutorial. This may be very handy for those of you who have my Twirl Skirt pattern and you’re looking for an easy way to cinch up the side. As I said in my last post about skirt cinching, I prefer to just fold it up by hand and add a bow or other embellishment. This method is pretty simple though, so give it a go!

What you’ll need
A finished skirt or other project that needs a little cinching
1/8” elastic: white for light fabrics, black for dark fabrics
Thread that coordinates with your skirt
Your sewing machine

I am using a mock skirt in the photographs. The Yellow is the skirt and the blue along the top is the waistband. You will need a length of 1/8” elastic that is at least a few inches longer than the drop length of your skirt, or a few inches longer than the length you would like to cinch up. An excessively long piece is fine, there’s no reason to cut it yet. Begin by attaching the elastic to the underside or, the wrong side, of your skit in the spot you want to create a cinch. Tack the end of the elastic at the hem line with a straight stitch. Be sure you back stitch.

Now, change your machine to a zigzag stitch and set it to full wide and about a medium stitch length. Zigzag over your elastic, taking care not to stitch into it, until you are within 1” of your waistband or where ever you would like to stop.

Hold the hem of your skirt in one hand and the long end of your elastic in the other hand. Pull the long end of your elastic until you achieved your desired amount of cinch. Finish by tacking down the long end of your elastic with a straight stitch and trimming off the extra. Add a bow or add nothing at all. Hit the elastic with some steam for a little extra bounce and stretch.